Road-digging causes inconvenience to public

Road-digging causes inconvenience to public


Repair work on the drainage on Residency Road near Brigade Road Junction in Bangalore (File Photo).
Faiza Haneef
First Published : 03 Feb 2009 04:08:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 03 Feb 2009 11:28:56 AM IST

BANGALORE: Digging up roads seems to be the duty of every authority in Bangalore. The Telecom Department, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), private companies-- just about everyone seems to be doing it. After these roads have come undone, comes the big question. Who will repair our roads? Considering that none has been able to figure out the answer to this question, all the public can do is to deal with shoddy roads and messy traffic.

One of the main perpetrators of the road-digging effort is the BWSSB. Recently, the BWSSB has taken up the work of replacing old sewage pipes pipes with new ones in various parts of the city.

After the work is done, the roads are given a patchy touch-up with no asphalting work.

Anyone home?

“It would also be helpful to the public if a single civic authority takes up the responsibility to oversee such work. We do not know which civic agency to complain to or to plead with so that the road is levelled,” says Farheen Khan, a resident of Lower Palace Orchards where the roads have been dug by the BWSSB to lay pipes.

“Road in front of our house was dug up and new sewage pipes were put. After the work was done, they took up the road metalling work but did not level or asphalt it,” says Malathi Rao, a resident of the Tax Layout, Vijayanagar.

This has caused inconvenience to residents of the opposite lane who are forced to park their four-wheeler outside throughout the day and night, she added.

“When we asked the workers who are on job to get the road back into proper shape, they said it was the Palike’s duty. And when we contacted the BBMP control room, there was no response,” says Likhit Kumar, another resident of Iincome Tax Layout.

M F Saldanha, former judge of the Karnataka High Court, had threatened to sue the BWSSB a year ago for leaving the Rest House Road in a pathetic condition after laying sewer pipes.

Officials agree

A senior BWSSB official said, “After laying pipes, our men fill up the trenches with mud and later inform Palike officials to take up asphalting or road-levelling job. We are not responsible for rood-levelling and it is BBMP which has to do that.” “For road-cutting, we have to take permission from the Palike, which will take a lot of time if done according to the procedure. So before taking up the work, we seek an oral permission. We are replacing the old sewerage pipes in areas, but the Palike has to do finish the levelling work,” he added.

Sources in the Palike said, “Whoever takes the permission for road-cutting and pays the fine is responsible for levelling the road after the work is over. We are concerned with the asphalting only. But if they do not inform us about the status of the work, how can we take up asphalting work? There are instances when just after we have laid new roads, BWSSB, Bescom and other telecom service providers cut the road and damage it.” “There is no cooperation from water board’s side, but the blame for everything lies on Palike,” said sources.